No on $60 car tabs — League of Women Voters

Seattle voters may be about to break their long streak of voting for whatever levy or fee is put before them by their taxing city government, evidenced by the latest group to declare opposition to $60 car tabs.

The League of Women Voters has come out against Prop. 1 (car tabs). As noted by the Seattle Times, the League follows the Municipal League of King County as the second good-government group to oppose the fee.

The Seattle City Council has already enacted a $20 car tab fee. The King County Council voted a $20 fee to save Metro bus service. If voters embrace the 10-year, $60 fee, they will be paying an additional $100 for tabs on all cars, from clunkers to Cadillacs.

“While the intentions of the measure are good, the League found the plan to lack specificity and the proposed use of funds not appropriately prioritized — in particular the plan to spend $18 million to study more streetcar lines,” the League concluded.

“Further, a flat fee on each vehicle licensed within the city is regressive. In many cases, the combination of the lack of appropriate prioritization and the regressivity of the tax would cause the citizens who are taxed to receive no benefit.”

The likelihood of a “No” vote is reflected elsewhere as well. The media amen-corner of the city’s bicycle lobby — The Stranger and Publicola — published on-line defenses of the car tab fee on Tuesday.

The Cascade Bicycle Club ($2,000) and Bicycle Alliance ($500) have made additional contributions to Streets for All Seattle: The Cascade Bicycle Club has now given $17,975 to promote car tabs.

The latest donations push what has been a lagging pro-car tabs warchest above $103,000, Publicola reported.